FAQ

What makes CTS different to all the other Mental Health Charities?
At Chasing the Stigma we know just how important mental health charities and groups can be in preventing and intercepting mental health cases before they reach crisis point. We have been very vocal in our appeals for Government to support a grassroots approach – money shared across the country and spent in the right places can make a massive difference.

At Chasing the Stigma, we don’t want to compete; we don’t want to be a rival to any other charity or organisation. Instead we want to be a linking hand, bringing everyone together. We want to give a voice to all charities, give them a platform to tell the country what they can do. We are very much a sign posting charity, we aren’t the experts but we know where the experts are. Using first-hand experience, we want to give hope to those who feel alone. We want to say “We have been there. We got through it and you can too.”

How do I know if I am Depressed?
You know your mind and body better than anyone so you know when it doesn’t feel right. Depression has many levels and scales so don’t compare yourself to other cases.

If you feel different, anxious, low or down. If you find it hard to enjoy the things you used to enjoy or feel as if you’re suppressing feelings then you owe it to yourself to speak to somebody. You don’t have to feel that way, there is help for you and the most important thing to remember is that you are not alone in feeling that way.

I have no reason to be depressed, so why would I get help?
Depression doesn’t need a reason. Anybody anywhere can be struck down by depression. No matter how rich or how poor depression doesn’t discriminate. Try not to compare yourself to others. If you feel as if something is wrong then you owe it to yourself to speak to an expert about it.

We all have mental health which means any of us could suffer from some form of mental illness at some point.

What if I’m worried about speaking to a Doctor?
Doctors deal with mental health issues every single day, they will be used to people feeling apprehensive and nervous. You won’t be judged for seeking help. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed off in regards to mental illness. You should treat going to see a doctor about a mental issue in the same way you would treat seeing a doctor about a broken arm or the flu.

What if I am unhappy with the service I received from my GP?
If you feel the need to make a complaint about the service you received, you should. Every GP should have a complaints procedure but if you feel uncomfortable complaining in the surgery, you can complain via the NHS complaints procedure. You can find more info here

If you are unhappy with the service from your GP, you should never be afraid to ask to see somebody else.

What is the Hub of Hope?
At Chasing the Stigma we know there are thousands of incredible grassroots organisations around the country who are changing lives of so many and we want to shout about them all!

There is a lot of pressure and focus on the NHS with nowhere near enough focus on the people on the ground who operate on minimal funding but offer invaluable support.

Through the Hub of Hope we aim to create a database of all these incredible support groups and organisations, regardless of size or structure and have them all in one place, easy for anyone to find.

We want to remove any barriers that currently exist, to work together and show that there is a lot of help available, help you may never have known about before.

The Hope of Hope is a place to go to know there is help for you, a place to know you’re not alone and you can find it at hubofhope.uk

I offer support to those dealing with mental health, how do I join the Hub of Hope?

Welcome! If you visit our Hub of Hope page there is a contact form for you to fill in which will mean we are giving people the correct details for you. Right now the Hub of Hope is in it’s first phase where we are collating the data, once we have it collected we will launch our search service to ensure people throughout the country know where local help is.

If you know somebody who would like to be involved in the Hub of Hope, please point them in our direction, we need you to get in touch with us in order for the details to go live.

I need help now, what do I do?

If you need help, then talk to the experts:

Samaritans
A 24/7 service is available for free on 116 123

CALM
Available 7 days a week between 5pm and midnight call CALM on 0808 802 5858 (London only) or 0800 585858 (outside of London)

SANE
Available 7 days a week between 6pm and 11pm on 0300 304 700

NHS 111
For non-emergency medical help and advice for those living in England. Call 111

If things do become an emergency, if you are having suicidal thoughts or have self harmed and are worrying about it then you should report to A&E.